Carnival of Rust
by Minosuke Ichigo
Summary: Kiba and his team have been sent on a D-Rank mission by the Hokage: find and bring back the necklace she lost three years ago. But when Shino and Hinata are captured by Sound Ninja, Kiba is forced into selling his soul to save them. ItachiKiba. ON HOLD
1. 01 Get Along

**Summery:** Inuzuka Kiba is sick and tired of being overlooked by everyone. With Naruto off with the Pervy Sage, Sasuke with Orochimaru, Kiba realizes he has a chance to finally be top of the charts. So when Tsunade gives him and his teammates a mission to find an item that she lost at a gambling hall, he's less then thrilled. The problem: She can't remember which one and it was nearly three years ago. But what started out as a C-rank mission is turned into an S-Rank _problem _when they run into the Akatsuki! ItachiKiba.

**A/N - **MWAHAHAHA! I finally got an idea for an ItachiKiba after months of toiling and screaming in fits of rage against writer's block! I know, I know. Some of you (my TikiRabi fans) are screaming at me to add on the next chapter of the _Melody_ series. Don't worry. It's really coming. Almost done with it as a matter of fact. Anywho…

Hey, hey. I see those looks. "Itachi? With _KIBA_? Bitch, plz." I'm serious! Sasuke has a Kyuubi fixation, so why can't Itachi have a dog fetish too? Maybe it runs in the family like the Sharingan.

**Naruto: **-sweat, sweat, stare- Okay. Even I have to admit that that was just horrible.

I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ITS CHARACTERS! RAWR! -Sics Kisame on all possible future flamers- And all flames will be fed to my unofficially adopted demonic dog…shark…ninja-man…oh, you get the picture. Also, I don't own the name of the fanfic, as it was taken from an AWESOME song of the same name by _Poets of the Fall_. And each chapter is named after a song and credit will be given at the end of each chapter.

This story, for now, is rated T for violence (possibly graphic), language, and shounen-ai.

**Carnival of Rust**

_By:_

_-Minosuke Ichigo-_

**Chapter One**

_Get Along_

Kiba was a generally happy guy when he was given a mission.

Except this mission.

Shino and Hinata watched their teammate rant and rave to Akamaru, who seemed just as irritated with the mission Team 5 had been given. The horse-sized dog barked in agreement as Kiba snapped, "Ugh! Why can't the Hokage see that we're just as useful as Team fucking 7?!" Hinata swallowed hard, hiding partially behind their quiet team captain. The bug master laid a hand calmly on the frustrated boy's shoulder and spoke softly.

"Calm down, Kiba." Kiba growled in response, but calmed nonetheless. "I'm certain Lady Tsunade has her reasons."

The shorter ninja gave his captain a depressed look, looking like, no pun intended, a kicked puppy. "Yeah but…to find a necklace she lost two and a half years ago…?"

"K-Kiba-san…" Both men looked up when Hinata spoke, the Hyuuga girl wringing her hands. "L-l-lady Tsunade s-said s-she wants us t-t-t-to return s-soon…c-can we please g-g-go now…?"

Kiba sighed and nodded, pulling up his hood and drawing the cords on his coat tight before taking off into a full sprint, Akamaru at his heels and Shino and Hinata following behind the duo. _Stupid Hokage! Treating us like kids…at least we never left the village! And we never betrayed it either! How come she's always so worried around that idiot Naruto and that traitorous bastard Sasuke?!_ He inwardly growled, glaring at the road ahead of them.

- - - -

Weeks passed.

Each village (which was at a grand total of twelve) remembered seeing Tsunade, but their search for the Hokage's necklace was fruitless. They had little time to rest, as they were often bombarded by angry gambling hall owners asking if the Hokage had sent the money she owed with them.

Sadly, the trio spent their nights in trees or bushes.

It was the eve of their 30th night searching that the shit hit the proverbial fan.

Kiba was out gathering firewood while his teammates guarded the camp and their dwindling food supply. Akamaru had remained at the camp as well; sound asleep by the dying fire. By this point, Kiba was getting used to hunger, splitting his food with his massive dog at each meal, and he contented himself during his errand by humming and thinking of anything but food.

He sat on the ground, taking a short break with a pile of gathered sticks and broken up branches next to him and looked up at the sky. He could only see a few stars twinkling through the leaves, but it was better then seeing nothing at all. His eyes, heavy from their days of travel, slid closed for only a moment before a strange scent tickled his nose.

It was strong, almost sweet smelling, and it was close by, less then twenty feet if he was right and not delusional. He straightened, opening his eyes and looking around quickly. A bush nearby moved and the scent struck him again, so strong it made him dizzy, but this was soon forgotten when the source of the smell stepped from the bush and leveled him with a steely stare.

Kiba scrambled to his feet, kunai in hand as he struck a defensive stance. His enemy, so tall and handsome behind the black cloak adorned with crimson clouds, stared at him for a moment. _Oh shit. That's…Uchiha Itachi! What the hell is he doing here?! _He was shaken from his thoughts when Itachi spoke, his voice sending a shiver down the leaf ninja's spine.

"Where is Uzumaki Naruto?"

Kiba growled. "God damn it…" He muttered, glaring at Itachi. Everyone was always after Naruto or Sasuke! Why couldn't the man realize that he was a worthy opponent as well?! "It's always, 'Naruto this', 'Naruto that'…I'm not a fucking ghost!" He drew a second kunai and lunged, swinging both at the Uchiha even though a little voice kept telling him to just high-tail it in the _opposite_ direction.

Itachi knocked the attack aside with the back of one hand while the other and in the same movement grabbed Kiba's coat and flung the boy against a tree, pinning him to it with a single hand. The boy kicked his legs, growling as he tried to pry the man's hand from his chest to no avail. Itachi stared at the boy before him as if he were a fly on the wall, a simple annoyance. "Pa-the-tic." He drew out the word, emphasizing each syllable as if trying to make the word sting more then it already did.

Kiba lifted his head to snap at the Uchiha, but he words died in his throat when their eyes met. Eyes as red as blood burned into his memory and Kiba felt his breath catch in his chest. For the briefest of moments, he couldn't even hear his own heart beating even though he knew it was pounding away at his chest like a jackhammer.

He could feel Itachi's icy hand through his coat; felt the tree against his back and most of all, he could smell the sweet fragrance of what he then realized was cherry blossoms and blood, mingling into an intoxicating scent that made the dog ninja's nose tickle and already racing heart beat faster. He wasn't exactly sure if it was fear that made his stomach clench or if it was something else, but even as he stared death in the face, he wasn't certain if the feeling was a bad thing.

Itachi's eyes changed and, like a breeze, the words, "_Tsukiyomi_." left his hidden lips and Kiba fell into a dream of misery.

- - - -

It was all a whirlwind of crimson. Blood; his friends dying at his feet in horrible, unbelievable ways; their screams tearing through his heart and soul like invisible knives.

Hinata's eyes, once already beautiful, were gone, two blades where they should have been while each of her fingers were broken off like fragile fragments of a glass figurine. She continued to scream, reaching for Kiba with her stump of a hand, tears of blood trailing down her pale cheeks.

Shino's bugs tore through him until only twitching muscle and stripes of flesh remained on the bones before he fell to the ground beside Hinata, not even able to reach or plead before his life was gone. Blood pooled under them in thick streams that just never seemed to stop.

His stomach churned and he dropped to his hands and knees in the river of blood, coughing and hacking violently as he fought against the urge to throw up. He heard a howl of pain and, against his will, lifted his head. Akamaru's body fell, the dog's head splashing into the pool several feet away. Tears burned the leaf ninja's eyes as he screamed in sorrow, the sound almost animal-like as he felt the connection between him and his best friend shatter.

He hurled, his throat burning and vision blurred from tears that flowed from his dark eyes. He tried to reason with himself that it was Itachi that had trapped him in some kind of Genjutsu meant to incapacitate him long enough for his will to break. Slowly, body shaking, he looked up. Itachi stood over him, crimson eyes cold and uncaring, just like the blood red sky and moon that hung overhead like a macabre painting.

The man studied the boy's tear stained face and bloodied clothing as he drew a ninja-to from the folds of his coat and put the tip of the blade against Kiba's throat. "Where is Uzumaki Naruto, boy? This is your final chance." Kiba sobbed and closed his eyes tightly, punching the ground with a fist, blood splattering onto his face from the force.

"I don't know! I don't know…he left two years ago. I don't have a damn clue where that bastard went…" He choked out, bowing his head. "If you're gonna kill me, then just do it now! But no matter how many times you stab me or my friends, that doesn't change the fact that I don't have a clue where Naruto is!"

He tensed when he felt the flat of the sword lift his chin, the point still digging into his throat even as he obeyed the silent command. Itachi's cold eyes burned into his as the man knelt, Kiba nearly throwing up again when he heard the sickening sound of the Akatsuki kneeling on Hinata's now-motionless arm. "Liar." The oldest Uchiha said, bringing his face close to Kiba's.

The boy growled and swung a fist at the man's face, yelping when it was caught and twisted behind him, the resulting force yanking the boy against Itachi. The man tightened his grip on the arm a bit more before twisting the boy around and pinning him to the ground. Copper-tasting liquid filled Kiba's mouth, even as he tried to wiggle away, fighting as hard as he could to keep from drowning in his friends' life-giving substance.

"Foolish little dog. You truly thought you could hit me? Pathetic." Kiba choked and gasped, trying helplessly to escape his captor's grasp. His head felt light, and he realized that he was dying, which only intensified his struggles. _No, no! I can't die now! Hinata…! Shino! If I die now…then…then I can't help them!_

Just when he thought he was about to lose consciousness, he was jerked up by the back of his jacket. Coughing and sputtering, he focused on remembering how to breathe. He tensed when he felt strong arms around him, pinning his arms to his sides, warm breath against his ear. He couldn't see who was holding him, all he was able to see was the crimson moon hanging above him, and the screams of his friends resumed once more.

- - - -

Itachi watched as Kiba twitched and sobbed on the ground, trying futilely to escape the dream he was locked in. It had only been a few seconds, but he could already see the damage being done.

The boy let out a gasp and his eyes fluttered open, breath coming out in short, shallow gasps. He didn't even protest as he was lifted from the ground by the scruff of his neck and held at eyelevel with Itachi. He wasn't going to beg for death, like he knew the Uchiha wanted. But he sure as hell wasn't going to reject it either.

"Now. You said you didn't know. Has that changed in the least?" The man drawled, studying the vacant, tired look on his prisoner's face. Kiba slowly looked at the man and mustered enough courage and willpower to spit, making sure it hit the perfect cheek on his enemy. Itachi scowled a bit. It wasn't often the victims of Tsukiyomi had enough will to even breath, let alone remain defiant.

He tossed the boy aside, listening as he hit the ground with a sharp gasp of pain. "You're a rather fiery one, aren't you?" He knelt beside Kiba, watching curiously as the boy tried to drag himself to his feet. It took little pressure to knock him onto his back, but it was still amusing. "If you have nothing I need, then I have no use for you." Itachi drew a kunai from the folds of his cloak and pressed it against Kiba's throat.

The boy stared at him, chocolate brown eyes out of focus and breathing slowing to a steady pace. Kiba drew back his lips to a smirk and muttered, "J…just a coward. Takin' out your enemy while he's too damaged to defend himself…" He knew he was probably just giving the Uchiha a reason to draw out his death, but he didn't really give a flying fig. He wasn't about to die without giving his two cents worth. "Killin' your best friend for power…I gotta say…I kind of feel…" His eyes closed for a moment, but forced himself to stay awake long enough to finish his sentence. "Sorry…for ya…"

Itachi studied the boy quietly. Slowly, he removed the kunai, leaving only a thin scratch on the leaf ninja's tanned throat. "Strange for an enemy to say…" He pondered aloud. His gaze flickered to the left when he heard movement, followed by Hinata's call for Kiba.

Without a word, he was gone, leaving only the lingering scent of cherry blossoms and blood with the boy.

_**Get Along**_

_**Slayers**_

**A/N –** Um…-sweat- I guess the bloody Tsukiyomi could have been better, but it was all I could think of at two in the morning after an algebra test. I hope you guys keep reading this, and I'll let Kiba and Itachi out of their cages every once in a while so they can help me write this.

Also, as for why Itachi smells likes cherry blossoms and blood…well, it's just so him.

Until next time! I'll try to update every Monday, but don't quote me on it. See ya later, my dear readers! –bow-


	2. 02 Sucks To Be You

**Summery:** Sequel to _Asterisk_. Kiba is still shaky from his encounter with Itachi, but he refuses to return to Konoha until the mission is complete. Just when he starts to recover emotionally, they're attacked by Sound ninja and Kiba, of course, sticks his foot in his mouth. Of course, the last person he was expecting to come to his rescue was Itachi and a reluctant Kisame. ItaKi.

**A/N** – chapter two, huh? I really hope people liked this enough to even read part two. oO;

I'm sorry if the story started out a bit slow last chapter, but I'm still recovering from writer's block, but I'm trying really hard to start the story. BTW, expect some twists and turns. My muse is back. Mwahaha!

I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS!!!

This story is rated T for language, violence and hints of shounen-ai (probably no more then there was last chapter). Oh. And a pissy, evil Sasuke. FORGIVE ME, SASUKE FANS!

**Chapter Two**

_Sucks To Be You_

_By:_

_-Minosuke Ichigo_

Kiba flinched when Hinata dabbed some stinging, horrible smelling liquid onto one of his scrapes, the others already bandaged. Shino watched them quietly, his brows knit together in concern, though it was nearly impossible to tell otherwise. "Kiba," the team leader spoke suddenly, startling the Inuzuka, who dug his fingers into Akamaru's thick fur, the dog whimpering in pity for his master. Not even a hint of emotion entered Shino's soft voice as he continued. "What happened?"

The Inuzuka looked away, lowering his gaze to the ground. He could feel his friends watching him, but couldn't bring himself to say anything. It was hard enough looking at them when he had, just hours before, saw them dying over and over again. "Kiba-kun…" Hinata's quiet voice called him back from his thoughts and he forced a grin, though it must have been obvious to them, as she gave him a sad look. "Are you sure…"

He waved her words off, cringing a bit when he jarred his sprained wrist. Standing, he dusted himself off and stretched, wincing as his back emitted a wet popping sound. "I'm fine. Let's just hurry up and move on, 'kay?" His friends studied him for a long while before Shino stood, Hinata and Akamaru following suit. The team leader nodded slowly and with that, they were off.

Trees flew past them in blurs, Kiba and Akamaru staying closer to the ground then the others due to his mild injuries and Akamaru's size. Now that Shino and Hinata were out of hearing range, he relayed everything that had happened to Akamaru, though he left out most of the Tsukiyomi's illusion, still unable to think of his loyal dog's head lying so far away from his body without feeling nauseous.

Akamaru growled low in his throat and shot his master an irritated look. "It's cool now, Akamaru." Kiba reasoned, though at the thought of Itachi and his cold eyes, the scent came back to his memory and he nearly stumbled. He caught himself before he made a noticeable mistake and quickened his pace. "I'm fine…" _That smell…_he was glad his jacket hid the shudder that traveled from the tips of his toes to his throat. _I wanna…smell it again._

At this, he really did slam head-first into a tree. Akamaru yelped in surprise, catching Shino and Hinata's attention. The three of them stared dumbfounded at their companion as he growled and cursed to himself while holding his aching head in his hands. After a few moments, he yelled, scaring birds and other small forest creatures, "WHATEVER SADISTIC GOD DID THIS HAD BETTER FUCKING FIX IT!" **(Authoress: -hides- I'M INNOCENT!)**

He blushed when he realized he had a rather confused audience and Hinata looked about ready to pull out her medical kit again – though he was certain it wasn't for the bump on his head. Standing quickly, he resumed jumping from tree to tree, face red. He heard Akamaru running beside him and Shino and Hinata still above him, though much closer then they had been before.

His friends didn't ask any questions, and the rest of the remaining day was spent in silence.

They set up camp at sunset near a bubbling stream, and once again they asked him what had happened, and again he brushed them off, not wanting to worry them.

Shino passed Kiba a portion of a large bass that had been cooking over the flickering campfire and the Inuzuka accepted it gladly, but found he could hardly keep a few bites down before he passed the rest of it to Akamaru. He could feel Hinata's worry as she asked him softly if he was certain he was fine. He simply grinned and nodded.

The four sat in silence, the only sound being the chirping of crickets and the crackling wood in the fire that cast long shadows behind them. Neither of them said a word, merely watched the flames as they danced and charred the branches.

Just when Kiba felt about ready to burst, a twig snapped and Team 8 snapped to attention, all sliding into battle-ready crouches, kunai in hand and senses alert. They slowly stood and moved so they were back-to-back, Akamaru at Kiba's side and growling, fur on end. Kiba sniffed the air a bit and scowled. "Smells like twenty…ten over here."

Hinata activated Byakkugan and swallowed hard, but kept her stance as steady as a rock. "Same here." She whispered. Shino raised a hand a mere centimeter, his bugs crawling out from his sleeves and standing at ready like their master.

"Here they come." Shino sounded almost bored, making Kiba grin a bit.

As if on command, the foliage around them shuddered and twenty figures lunged. In the moonlight, they could barely make out the emblem on their forehead protectors and Kiba swore. "Sound!" He covered his ears when one used a high-pitched sound wave that nearly shattered his eardrums even though they were covered.

There was no way to tell how long the battle lasted, as it was all a blur of fists, Ninjutsus and blades. All Team 8 knew was that they were wearing thin and beginning to lose their energy from fighting so many at once. Kiba was the first to miss a vital attack that blind-sided him and knocked him through the tree line. He skidded on his back to a stop at the edge of the river, bracing himself with his uninjured hand to keep himself from falling into it.

He didn't have time to move when his attackers, all seven of them, lunged. Akamaru knocked them aside with ease, grabbing Kiba by the front of his jacket and setting him on his feet. Kiba glanced at his partner to thank him, but was unable to when he felt a chill fall over him and a scent he hadn't smelled in nearly three years hit him.

He whirled around and stared at the face of the traitor, Uchiha Sasuke. Rage bubbled up in the brunette as he snarled, moving to cover Akamaru's back as the Sound ninja moved back away from them and into a circle. "Sasuke!" He snapped, ready to lunge and rip the other boy apart.

Sasuke stared at him coldly, dressed in an outfit similar to Orochimaru's, as he said mockingly, Sharingan spinning in his now-crimson eyes, "Kiba. Still just a muscle-headed mutt I see."

_Akamaru and I almost died trying to save you. You nearly killed Naruto. Shikamaru was out for days. Choji almost didn't make it! And Shino…Shino came so close to death…all because of him? _Kiba almost laughed at the bitter reality of it. He knew he should never touch the ground he was about to, but he was too pissed to care. As long as he got to punch Sasuke once, it would be worth it. "God damn it, Sasuke!" Kiba couldn't keep the bitter laugh from bubbling through to his voice. "You think you're better than us?!" The dark haired boy just stared at him, a short katana in hand. "That if you just come waltzing onto the scene everyone's gonna drop what their doing to kiss your feet? Or maybe you just think that you're the better half of the Uchiha family because you're Orochimaru's pet?"

He could see the anger flare up in Sasuke's eyes and he smirked, exposing his sharp canines as he continued. _Maybe I'm a masochist. I seem to enjoy pissing everybody off until they hit me. _"Guess what, Sasuke." His dark eyes narrowed, smile gone, expression now one of anger toward the ninja he had once been somewhat proud to work with. The one he had nearly thrown his life away for. "I have to say, between you and Itachi, I'd have to say Itachi's the better of the two."

That was all it took.

Kiba was thrown backward, cheek throbbing and the taste of blood thick on his tongue as he crashed into a tree shoulder-first. He heard a sharp snapping sound and it wasn't until the pain hit him that he realized that it wasn't the tree breaking, but his shoulder getting knocked out of place.

He heard Akamaru yelp and he hadn't even hit the ground before a foot connected to his side, knocking him into the river. Water rushed into his mouth and up his nose as he thrashed, trying to breath through the cloud of sharp agony that made his body numb. He was yanked out of the water and slammed into the ground, Sasuke kneeling on his throat. The younger Uchiha brought his face close to Kiba's as he growled, ignoring the Inuzuka's coughing and clawing, "You're mouth's too big for your damn head, Inuzuka. I was just going to knock you out because I didn't wanna hurt you."

Kiba gagged and saw spots dancing before his eyes and the familiar feeling of sinking hit him. He struggled harder, but this only made Sasuke shove his knee harder against his airway. Sasuke watched as the boy's struggles lessened, but he didn't have a chance to finish the job as he heard the other Sound ninja around them drop to the ground, kunai sticking out of each of their foreheads.

He looked around quickly, but didn't see the kick coming until he was sent sprawling. Kiba sucked in air eagerly, though it hurt and he couldn't get much in at the moment. Coughing and sputtering, he didn't argue as he was lifted up none-too-gently and cradled in someone's arms. His nose, still stinging from the water, wasn't working at the time and all he could do was shiver and gasp.

He heard the sound of fighting, Sasuke's enraged shouts and then nothing but the rush of wind in his ears as his saviors took off through the forest. Akamaru's whimper forced him to open his eyes and they nearly popped out of his head when he realized who was carrying him and his partner.

Kisame huffed and puffed a bit under the weight of Akamaru, but kept pace easily with Itachi, who held Kiba in a firm, but far from painful grip. The Inuzuka's brain finally registered what he was seeing and proclaimed, his voice hoarse and sounding more like a whisper then a yell, "I-Itachi! And…fish guy!"

The shark-man scowled at him. "Kisame." He looked at Itachi and asked in a whiney tone, "Can you _please_ explain why we just saved this kid's rear?" Itachi remained silent, tightening his grip when Kiba began to struggle. Itachi glanced at the boy in his arms, his crimson eyes betraying nothing.

Kiba swallowed hard, focusing on where Itachi's lips were even though he couldn't see them through his captor's coat collar. His dark eyes flickered up to Itachi's forehead, trying not to make eye contact for fear of being hit by the Tsukiyomi again. He failed miserably, and was very glad when he realized that the man hadn't activated the horrible Genjutsu yet. "What're you looking at?" Kiba managed to choke out. He heard Kisame bark out a laugh as if the boy had said the funniest joke in the world.

He glared at the shark man and resumed his struggles, refusing to go quietly. He didn't even notice when they stopped moving, but he did notice when he was sandwiched between a tree and Itachi's body. He glared defiantly up at the Uchiha, becoming more and more irritated when he realized that Itachi was nearly a foot taller then him.

His nose chose that moment to stop being stuffy and Kiba nearly collapsed. With Itachi so close, the smell was even stronger and it took every ounce of willpower at his disposal to keep from snuggling against the dark folds of material just to drown in the wonderful, almost sensual smell.

The next thing he noticed was that his side and cheek were hurting like a bitch. He went to hold his side, but Itachi seemed to take it as Kiba's attempt to get a Kunai and grabbed his wrist firmly, pressing it against the tree above his head, pressing closer. Kiba gasped sharply when Itachi pressed against his injured side. The older male paused, studying the boy's face for a moment.

"Strange boy." He murmured, almost amused at the glint of pleasure in the boy's eyes. It was small and most wouldn't notice it, but Itachi did. _Such a strange dog._ Kiba whimpered in pain and tried to get away, closing his eyes tightly. He shoved Itachi away, the man stepping back to stand by Kisame, who had dropped his unconscious load of dog at his feet and was rolling his shoulder in an attempt to get feeling back into it.

Kiba, dizzy from the smell, slumped against the tree, shaking his head in an attempt to clear his head. Quickly, he lifted a hand to his mouth and bit down as hard as he could. Kisame and Itachi watched him silently, their expressions a mixture of confusion and mild amusement as they watched the boy pull his fangs out of his hand, blood trailing from the puncture wounds.

The Inuzuka's eyes cleared and he slid into a crouch, one hand on the ground and his back arched slightly as he glared at the Akatsuki members. His gaze flickered to Akamaru for a moment before he barked out, glad his voice was returning already, "Why did you help us? What happened to Hinata and Shino?"

Itachi locked eyes with the boy as he said calmly, "You are of no use to us dead."

Kiba blinked, taken aback. "Use? What the fuck can I do that you freaks can't?"

Kisame snarled at him, gripping the hilt of Samehada tightly. "Who the hell are you calling a freak, dog-breath?!"

Itachi put a hand on his partner's chest and continued, making sure to shoot the shark-man a stern glare to keep him in line. "Inuzuka Kiba," He locked eyes with the boy once more, who boldly met his gaze without even a glint of fear in his eyes. He didn't have a chance to continue before the two men were on alert, Kiba tensing even more and getting ready to spring at Itachi.

He didn't have a chance, once more, to act on his intentions before five Konoha ANBU dropped from the trees to surround them. Kiba sighed in relief. _And finally help arrives._ He looked at the ANBU next to him and relaxed considerably. _At least now I can try and wake Akamaru up without getting chopped –_ He froze when a kunai was pressed against his throat, the owner of the weapon being the ANBU that had been by his side. _What…the hell…?_

The ANBU spoke, his voice muffled slightly by the mask that hid his face from view. "Inuzuka Kiba of Konoha, as of this moment, you are under arrest."

"What the fuck for?! You idiots, I'm a victim here!" He nearly screamed.

"Hokage's orders."

_What…?! Tsunade-san…she wants me…arrested?_ Swallowing his fear, Kiba growled, staring at Itachi as if trying to see if it was just a Genjutsu meant to freak him out. But he could see the surprise in the man's eyes, even if his face remained static. Kisame shifted slightly, back to Itachi's as he tightened his grip on Samehada. "And if I resist…?" He knew the answer even before it could even enter the ANBU's mind.

"You will be executed, just as Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame are to be."

**TBC…**

**A/N –** Whoa. ANBU's evil? Tsunade ordered Kiba's arrest and execution if he resists? What's going on? Who knows. All I know is that I have to apologize because my fight scenes sucked so much ass and I made Sasuke into such a bastard.

Sorry! Don't hurt me, and please keep reading!

Until next time!!

_Sucks To Be You_

Prozzak


	3. 03 Shadow Pact

**DISCLAIMER:** I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ITS CHARACTERS!

**Summery:** Fleeing from ANBU with the help of Itachi and Kisame, Kiba and Akamaru are thrown into a whirlwind of danger when they realize that Shino and Hinata have been captured by the Sound ninja. With no other options, Kiba turns to Itachi and Kisame for help, but is he willing to pay the price? ItachiKiba

**A/N – **Woohoo! Chapter three already!! Yaaaaaaaay! I can't believe I'm actually pumping these out so quickly. My TikiRabi story never came out this fast. I just hope everybody's enjoying it so far, and, no worries my friends. Itachi and Kiba will get together.

Eventually.

This story is rated T for language and violence.

Enjoy!

**Chapter Three**

_Shadow Pact_

_By:_

_-Minosuke Ichigo-_

He couldn't believe it.

It was probably just a really bad dream, and he would wake up at any moment, curled up by the fire, his head on Akamaru's stomach while Hinata and Shino slept nearby.

He waited for it. But he didn't wake up, and the cold steel blade against his neck pressed a bit harder, cutting the bandage and breaking the scabbed over cut that Itachi had given him their last meeting. So many questions were buzzing around in Kiba's head as he tried to figure out what he had done to deserve having ANBU sent after him, but he drew a blank.

Then he remembered Hinata and Shino.

He lifted his blood stained hand to his mouth and bit down once more, harder this time and the pain sent a spike of adrenaline through him, and his dark eyes seemed to flare to life once more as he lowered his hand and bit the hand that held the kunai to his neck.

The ANBU yelped in surprise, distracting his partners for a split second, which was all it took for Itachi and Kisame to act. Kiba jumped back away from his own attacker before crouching low on his hands and feet as he yelled, Chakra flaring up around him for a moment, "_Shikyaku no Jutsu!_" His eyes sharpened, nails coming to long points and the change almost made even Kisame take a step back.

The boy lunged, claws tearing easily through the armored vests of the ANBU that had made the mistake of underestimating him. He could hear Itachi and Kisame dispatching their enemies nearby, but he forced out the screams of pain from his mind and focused on taking down his own opponent.

He never gave the man a chance to pull off even a single Jutsu, pulling out all the stops on knocking him out. It took a mere five minutes before the man finally fell, bleeding from several claw and fang marks. Kiba crouched over the unconscious figure, huffing and puffing for a long while before taking a couple steps back and dismissing the jutsu. Shaking off the remaining effects of the jutsu, he knelt by the man and yanked the mask off, tossing it aside and slapping the face until his eyes fluttered open.

Kiba grabbed his neck and dug his claws in slightly as he snarled, "Why were you sent after me?! What happened to Hinata and Shino? C'MON!" He jabbed his knee against one of the deep gashes in his prisoner's side. The man hissed in pain and glared, raising a hand to knock the teen aside. Itachi was across from Kiba in an instant, stabbing a kunai through the man's hand and earned himself a satisfying yell. The Konoha ninja cringed, averting his gaze and wishing his sense of smell wasn't so strong.

The man glared defiantly at them despite the tears in his eyes. Kiba growled when a glob of spit hit his face and he gave Itachi an irritated look. "Now I know why you wanted to kill me." Itachi's eyes seemed to dance with amusement as the boy wiped the spit away and punched the ground beside the ANBU's head. "Talk or I'm feeding you to the shark. And I'm betting he hasn't eaten lunch yet."

Kisame was already starting to like this kid. Even if he was annoying. _I guess when your life's threatened by your own village, you tend to forget who you're hanging out with. _He thought, deciding to play along with the kid for now and licking his lips as he fixed the horrified ANBU with what he hoped was a hungry look and not just some weird stare.

Had Itachi not steeled his nerves against emotions for so many years, he probably would have been rolling around on the ground laughing at the sight. Kiba, still proudly wearing his leaf headband, was threatening an ANBU soldier with death by shark and Kisame was either doing a really good job at acting like the thought of eating a human was appealing, or he was actually considering it. Instead, Itachi just lowered his gaze to the ANBU and waited silently.

The ANBU growled and Kiba felt his jaw clamp shut even tighter. Kiba let out a shout of anger when his prisoner's breath caught and his heart stopped beating mere seconds after the movement. The boy stood and stormed over to a tree, punching it once before moving to Akamaru's side and checking his friend over in hopes of taking his mind off of the sudden thoughts that were assaulting him. _I attacked an ANBU. I inadvertently killed him. Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit! _

Akamaru whimpered as Kiba's careful fingers brushed a kunai injury on his side. His partner nearly laughed as he buried his face in his friend's thick fur and tried his hardest not to cry. Akamaru nuzzled Kiba's unruly hair as the boy tangled his shaking fingers into the tousled, stained fur. The giant dog stood, shaking dirt and leaves from his fur as he looked around and growled at Itachi and Kisame, Kiba standing and laying a hand on his friend's head.

He leveled the two with a look that appeared both irritated and grateful. Without a word, he tugged on Akamaru's ear and both took off in the direction of the river.

Kisame looked at Itachi and blinked, confusion evident on his face when he caught a rare glimpse of emotion in his companion's crimson eyes. It passed quickly, but there was no mistaking the look of...desire was much too strong a word, but it was the only thing that the shark man could even call it as Itachi watched the Inuzuka boy and his giant – and very heavy – dog disappear into the forest.

"Itachi-sama," The young man didn't look at his companion, but the burly man knew he was listening. "Should we follow?"

"Yes. It is Pain's orders." And with that, the duo vanished.

Kiba and Akamaru entered the campsite, the boy frowning in worry when he saw the horrible condition the place was in. Trees had been splintered by something that Kiba could only guess was either Hinata's Eight-Trigram technique or a Sound ninja's attack. The campfire had long since gone cold, scattered about the small clearing and the scent of his friends mingled with that of the Sound Ninja, confusing Akamaru.

The Inuzuka snorted and channeled Chakra to his nose, sniffing the air. He had trained his senses so often that they were even more finely tuned then even the best tracking ninken. He scowled when he caught the faint smell of Itachi and a strange fishy-bloody smell that could only be Kisame, but ignored them, pushing them out of his mind and focusing on the matter at hand.

It took less then half a minute to catch their trail and with a swift nod to Akamaru, the two took off, Kiba forgetting his injuries – despite the fact his ribs were killing him. He could still smell Itachi and Kisame as the two Akatsuki kept a "safe" distance away as they followed him and Akamaru, but he simply grunted in mild irritation. _If they wanted to kill us, then they would have already._ He reasoned silently, quickening his pace. Akamaru barked at Kiba as if to inform his master of their tails. The boy muttered something under his breath about how much he suddenly hated the Uchiha family, but left it at that.

They followed the trail until dawn, when they finally caught up to it. He and Akamaru perched carefully on a high-set, thick tree branch and watched the village below with heavy hearts. The Sound village was trash, a slum set in the middle of what had once been a beautiful land, though not a trace of that beauty remained.

Grungy, ill-tempered ninja patrolled the filthy streets and kicked trash cans and walls to startle any small animals that were hiding there. Kiba and Akamaru growled softly when one of the ninja kicked an injured puppy, but neither dared to move. Jumping head-first into the enemy territory wasn't a bright idea and even Kiba, as thick-headed and stupid as he could be, knew it would only get him captured and possibly killed.

Little good a dead man did.

Kiba and Akamaru shook their heads and moved swiftly through the branches, disappearing into the forest and circling the village silently, hoping to find a blind spot, but only finding more guards. The two moved back into the forest, far enough away that they could talk without being heard.

The boy knelt beside Akamaru and whispered, resting a hand on his side and wincing, "Damn it. How the hell are we supposed to get in there?" Akamaru whimpered and nuzzled Kiba's ribs, the boy covering his mouth to stifle a cry of pain. Tears in his eyes, the Inuzuka boy ran a hand through his hair, the other still against his aching side. "Y-yeah…I'm not much good right now…" He tensed when he realized the scent of his tails had suddenly strengthened and he stood, suddenly realizing just how worn out he felt.

Itachi and Kisame dropped silently from the trees before them. Itachi walked to Kiba, ignoring Akamaru as the dog growled low in his throat and slid into a defensive stance. He knew the ninken would not attack unless ordered to, and Kiba looked more likely to fall asleep where he stood then attack. Kisame growled back at the dog and both glared at each other, though neither advanced on the other.

_Shit fuck shit fuck…what the hell does…_Kiba froze, an idea hitting him. As much as he hated it and knew he would probably go the hell for doing it, he had no other choice. Even as he stood there, tired and injured, who knew what Orochimaru or Sasuke were doing to Hinata and Shino. He resisted the urge to hug himself at the thought of the perverted snake touching his friends and bowed his head. _I don't have a choice…Hinata. Shino. You'll forgive me for this, right?_

Itachi paused when Kiba dropped to his hands and knees, the boy's head bowed as he whimpered, "I dunno what the hell you two want with me, or why you haven't killed me yet, but…" The boy dug into his pocket and clutched his hand tightly around the pouch of money that he had left. Dropping it at the man's feet, he bowed deeply and growled, "S-save Hinata and Shino!"

The two Akatsuki member s remained silent for a moment before Kisame burst out in a fit of deep, wild laughter. Kiba felt tears brim his eyes, but he quickly blinked them away, refusing to cry in front of his enemies even though that was all he wanted to do. "Kid, are you freakin' nuts? You think a few dollars out of your piggy bank's gonna be enough to make us –"

"Fine."

Both Kisame and Kiba looked at Itachi as if the man had suddenly sprouted fairy wings. The man stared down at Kiba coldly, noting the tears that threatened to fall, but the boy refused to let them, instead digging his claws into his dirty palms to keep his mind on other matters. "We will. If you do something for us in exchange." Itachi nudged the wallet back to Kiba, who snatched it up quickly and pocketed it.

"We will?" Kisame nearly squeaked, not at all certain who this strange man was. He looked like Itachi, smelled like Itachi, fought like Itachi, but there was _no way_ he _could be_ Itachi.

The boy's eyes narrowed as he asked cautiously, "And…what'll that be?"

The man remained standing, towering over the kneeling boy as he said calmly, despite the look of horror that crossed Kisame's face, "You will abandon your village and join Akatsuki."

Kiba felt his stomach drop, and he couldn't keep his hands from shaking. He wanted so badly to tell Itachi to take the offer and shove it up his pretty-boy ass, to just storm off and take on the entire Sound village himself. He growled and swallowed hard, opening his mouth to say just that, but paused. Hinata and Shino could be in danger, dying, being used in Kabuto's freakish experiments. And even if he had managed to reach them, he knew the chances of getting there in time to save them would be slim to none.

Was it really worth it? Sacrificing his life, everything he had worked so hard to, throwing away the trust of his family, village and friends? Could Hinata and Shino ever forgive me? Would Tsunade ever let him come back?

He nearly laughed, hiding part of his face behind a hand. _No. The only one she'll take back is Sasuke because he's everything to them...because Sakura and Naruto are her favorites and she wants the great team 7 back someday. _

He couldn't imagine his mother or sister, could only suppress a shudder at the blind rage his mother would go into before crying. Crying? For him? Again, he almost didn't keep the bitter laugh inside. _She'd probably say she knew I was a bad influence…that I was just the piece of trash that gave her clan a bad name…_

But Hinata, he knew she would blame herself. Shino wouldn't know what to say.

Either way, Kiba was screwed. He either lost everything, or he gave away everything to save those he cared for. _I have to do this. _He looked at Akamaru, who looked at him and whimpered, telling him it was his choice. He knew Akamaru would stay by his side no matter what choice he made, but he couldn't help but feel horrible about it. Until, that is, he remembered that ANBU had attacked him. Slowly, Kiba turned his gave to Itachi, who hadn't moved an inch.

He stood and straightened, plastering a determined look on his face, though he knew it looked more like the face of a child trying his hardest to be brave in the face of the monster under the bed. "I'll…" He felt his voice catch, but he forced the words out. "Let's go."

**TBC…**

**A/N –** Kiba's so loyal! And he'll be so cute in the Akatsuki coat! Oh? What's that I hear? It sounds like more little voices and they're saying…"Kiba? Why the hell would Akatsuki want _him_?! It's like making Naruto a member!" Well, guess what people! The reason is –punched- ACK!

**Deidara:** Don't say anything about that yet, you baka!

Sorry, sorry. –rubs head- Guess you guy's will have to wait until later on to find out. And yes, Deidara will appear, as will Naruto and the others. Right now I'm just laying it out for you guys.

Until next time!

**Deidara:** Ja ne!

_Shadow Pact_

Wolfriders


	4. 04 When Doves Cry

Summery: Kiba and Akamaru, led by the two Missing-Nins Itachi and Kisame, enter the Sound Village and, after they're forced to

**Summery:** Kiba and Akamaru, led by the two Missing-Nins Itachi and Kisame, enter the Sound Village and, after they're forced to split up, Kiba finds not his friends but Sasuke… ItachiKiba

**A/N –** Chapter four! Wee! It took me a little while to come up with an idea for this, but an idea did eventually, brought to me by my psychotic and copy-written muse, Deidara, only to explode in my face after I was done committing it to memory.

Um, other then that, nothing else interesting and no excuses for being late on this update.

_**I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ITS CHARACTERS!**_

This story is rated T+ for violence, language and shounen-ai.

**Chapter Four:**

_When Doves Cry_

_By:_

_-Minosuke Ichigo-_

Entering the Sound Village, when following two practically unstoppable walls of destruction, was easy. All Kiba and Akamaru had to do was follow behind and keep quiet. The body count was small and the number of fights was even less.

The four landed outside of the dirty, grimy manor in the center of the village and pressed against the wall. Itachi glanced over his team, his crimson gaze lingering on Kiba, who looked tired and was holding his side painfully. The older male slid over to the boy's side and spoke in a low voice. "Inuzuka," The boy tensed, not used to being called that by the oldest Uchiha. "You will slow us down. Stay here." Kiba growled, but one look at the man's half-hidden face told him that arguing would probably result in further injury. "Kisame."

The shark man glanced at his leader. "Yes?" He really hoped Itachi wasn't going to make him baby sit.

"Let's go. Inuzuka, stay." And with that, the two men were gone, leaving a disgruntled Kiba and Akamaru behind. The boy sunk down to a crouch in the shadows, Akamaru sitting beside him.

_I'm not a dog…_he inwardly muttered, shivering a bit and holding his injured side firmly. It wasn't hurting as much, but it still hurt to move. He sighed and slumped against the cool stone wall, glaring at a rock. _But I am a big waste of space at the moment. Damn you, Sasuke. Just wait until I'm better…_he shook his head and placed a hand on Akamaru's back, keeping an eye out for trouble as he went over his own plan silently.

There was no way he was going to join Akatsuki just because of a little ANBU attack, but he was going to have to keep his word. There was no way Itachi or Kisame would let him return to the Leaf village after, in not so many words, agreeing to their terms. But he could return his friends home. He had to.

Chilled wind hit them and Kiba sniffed a bit. Was it fall already? Had they really been gone for two months? He was dragged out of his musing when he heard an amused voice from a good five feet beside them.

"So. You came to finish our match?" Kiba and Akamaru stood, both surprised that they hadn't smelled the younger Uchiha sooner. Sasuke stepped out of the darkness and glared, his gaze met by the equally irritated Kiba. Sasuke's eyes softened for a moment as he studied the way Kiba leaned slightly against the stone wall for support. "Tch. A couple of broken ribs and already your down?" Kiba glared and growled.

"Tch. A few years away from Konoha and you're still a prick?" Kiba retorted, than smirked. "I would've thought having a dick up your ass would've made you chill out. Oh, sorry. I guess since it's Orochimaru, it'd have to a tongue, ne?" Sasuke glared at him, closing the distance between them easily. He grabbed Kiba by the front of his jacket, the brunette mirroring his actions and grabbing Sasuke's kimono's front, both glaring at each other.

"Inuzuka, you really don't want to push your luck." Sasuke growled. Kiba glared and made a small growling noise.

"What the fuck have you got to be angry about?!" The Inuzuka finally snapped. "Akamaru and I are the ones who nearly died trying to save your sorry emo ass two an' a half years ago! Shikamaru was almost out, Choji was knockin' on the pearly gates, and Naruto was about to be buried where he was! And you spat in our eyes and pretty much told us to go screw ourselves!" Sasuke stared at Kiba, wanting to beat the boy until he was too tired to open his mouth ever again, but he couldn't. The Inuzuka was right, but he wasn't about to tell him that. Slowly, the slightly taller boy let go of Kiba's jacket, backing up a few steps and glaring defiantly.

Without a word, both lunged at each other, Akamaru whimpering a bit in dismay as the two teens argued and fought it out, neither really caring about technique or form.

Itachi and Kisame moved silently through Orochimaru's base, careful not to make too much noise whenever they had to fight. It took them very little time to navigate the maze of halls to the lower level of the castle.

The dungeon halls were damp and smelled heavily of mold, blood and death. Mangled bodies filled the cells to the ceiling, flesh and bone so twisted even Kisame felt ill looking at them. Both Akatsuki members moved swiftly, neither wanting to stay in the putred halls for longer then they needed to be. Itachi paused, tilting his head slightly to listen as they entered another hall. A girl's muffled sobs could be heard from nearby. Silently, the two moved closer to the sound, Kisame taking the lead and glancing into the cell.

Hinata and Shino sat in the corner of the small stone room, a small pile of bodies in the center of the room still leaking blood from numerous injuries. The girl was crying softly into her knees, Shino crouching next to her and keeping an arm on her back in a comforting half-hug. Kisame gave Itachi a slight nod and both came from their hiding place against the wall, the shark man ripping the lock from the steel door easily.

Both Leaf ninja jumped and stared at them in horror. Shino stood and moved between Hinata and Kisame, arms spread out at his sides. Itachi moved in and raised a hand slightly, motioning for them to follow. Without a word, the duo left, both knowing that if the teens were smart, they would follow with little resistance or complaint.

Itachi was a little irritated to know that the mission had been so easy, but he hadn't expected that much, as Orochimaru's idea of strong and his were like day and night. Shino and Hinata were silent the entire time, keeping an eye on both Kisame, who followed in the back like a bodyguard, and Itachi, who led the group.

Hinata nearly cried when they got outside, as the air was much fresher then it had been inside. Her joy was short lived when Kiba flew out in front of them, stopping only when he hit a wall. He sat up and caught Sasuke as the other male tackled him, both covered in bruises and scrapes, though Kiba was much worse for wear.

Itachi moved in swiftly, kicking Sasuke aside like a fly and grabbing Kiba's arm forcibly. Sasuke sat up and gaped as Itachi and Kisame grabbed the Team 8 and vanished. There was no mistaking the face of the man who held a vice-like grip on Kiba's arm despite the boy's momentary struggle. _I…Itachi…kidnapped…Kiba?_

Kiba, once they had reappeared in the forest, tackled Hinata and Shino, hugging them tightly. Akamaru trotted out from the foliage, a sound headband in his mouth and tail wagging happily, proud of himself. The three teammates spoke hurriedly, voices lost among each other's tears and exclamations of, "You're alive!"

Finally, they calmed down and Kiba spoke swiftly while Akamaru showed off the headband he had swiped to Kisame and Itachi. "Alright, listen guys. I don't have much time before we have to move again, but things have gone down the toilet real fast since we split up." Shino nodded slowly, watching the Akatsuki duo nervously. "Here's the deal: I'm temporarily leaving the Leaf." The Inuzuka held up a hand to keep Hinata from speaking. "Just listen! I need you two to split and tell Tsunade I'm…" He swallowed hard. "Dead." Hinata gasped sharply, tears rolling down her dirtied cheeks.

Kiba continued quickly. "ANBU attacked me earlier, and I need you two to find out why. Man, the only ones you guys can tell about this is Shikamaru, Neji and maybe Kakashi, but only give him the bare minimum of info."

"But…Kiba-san…" the girl started, pausing when Shino laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Alright." The team captain whispered, though it was obvious he was still a bit confused. Kiba smiled weakly in relief, glad his friend had agreed. Shino touched Kiba's shoulder lightly as the three stood, both Leaf Ninja staring at Kiba as he yanked off his headband and tore one of the ends off. Kiba stared at the headband sadly, feeling naked and scared now as he handed it to Hinata, who clutched it to her chest and cried. "Kiba…" Shino glanced at Itachi and Kisame once more, nodding a bit in thanks. "Be careful."

Kiba grinned, wiping a bit of dirt off his nose and patting Akamaru's head. "Tch! We'll be fine. Just hurry up and get home…don't stop and don't you dare look back!" Sniffling, Hinata gave him a quick hug, then Akamaru, and both retreated into the foliage.

Itachi moved silently behind Kiba, pausing when he heard a small sniffle and sob, watching as the boy wiped his eyes with his sleeve. Turning and forcing a scowl, Kiba mumbled, averting his gaze when he realized he was still crying, "Let's just go…I made a promise…and I'm keeping it."

Silently, the group left, Kiba and Akamaru feeling the pain of leaving his hopes and dreams behind, as well as the pain his friends were feeling as they headed toward home, Hinata holding his broken headband so tightly her small hands bled.

Steeling his nerves, Kiba frowned and blinked away his tears, quickening his pace to keep up with Itachi in the lead, Akamaru at his heels.

_**When Doves Cry**_

_**-Prince**_

**A/N –** Ack! I know, it was probably way too easy for Itachi and Kisame to save Hinata and Shino, but, man, if I were Orochimaru, I really doubt I'd be expecting Itachi to come knocking on my doors, so I guess realistically speaking, it probably would be that easy for him and Kisame, the wall of destruction. –shrug- Anyway, sorry this chapter sucked so much, but I really wanted to this one out of the way since I've been working on it since this story got posted…oO

Um…hope everyone enjoyed it and keep a look out for chapter five!

Ja ne!


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